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Apr

2

Hellenic News of America reviews Jane Mitakides, will review Jim Trakas soon

Filed Under Congress, Ohio, Politics, Women | 3 Comments

You can read the Hellenic News of America‘s review of Democratic congressional candidate (OH-03) Jane Mitakides here.

Here’s an excerpt but I recommend you read the whole piece:

Jane Mitakides is the modern American woman – married with a family and a successful local small business owner. She has been married 25 years to John Mitakides, a dentist who has practiced in the Dayton area for over 30 years. They both graduated from Centerville High School and attended Ohio public universities. (Jane at Wright State and John at Ohio State, where he played football). They are the proud parents of two children – Katie who is completing her PhD in international relations, and Andrew, a senior at Sydney College in Virginia.

Lake Research Partners is a national polling company. Ms. Celinda Lake, its president, Daniel Gotoff, a partner and Mark Keida, a staff member, wrote an “Analysis of Ohio�s 3rd Congressional District�s Shifting Political Terrain” on January 15, 2008. In that analysis, Celinda Lake calls this a “highly winnable race” for Jane Mitakides and one that is getting national attention. She states that the “challenging electoral dynamics offer Mitakides a prime opportunity to seize on the public�s mood for change…and that 2008 offers Democrats the best opportunity to put Ohio�s 3rd district seat back into Democratic hands.” The Democrats had held this seat for 22 years until 2002.

Just out of curiosity, should Greek Americans vote for her because she’s Greek? Or women vote for her because she’s a woman? Or Greek women because she’s a Greek woman?

Where does identity politics get us/take us?

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:22 pm April 2nd, 2008 in Congress, Ohio, Politics, Women | 3 Comments 

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Apr

2

MUST-READ new blog for political wonks from LegiStorm

Filed Under 'Roots News, Announcements, Blogging, Congress, Government, Media, Politics, Resources, Tech | Comments Off

Just received an e-mail from one of my favorite resources, LegiStorm, that they’ve started up a blog:

LegiStorm has launched a new blog. Although the LegiStorm site is primarily a source for data, the facts can tell stories. Until now, we had no way of bringing these stories to our visitors’ attention. We hope our blog will illuminate and draw attention to some of the interesting aspects of the information LegiStorm has to offer.
Although occasionally we may highlight someone on one side of the aisle or the other, we plan to continue our tradition of non-partisanship. In addition, we plan to use the blog to tell the processes involved in providing our data, how others have usefully employed our site, and to alert users what new information products we have released or will release.

More about LegiStorm, which every self-respecting political blogger should be consulting:

LegiStorm launched in September 2006. Our web site is dedicated to providing a variety of important information about the US Congress.

Based on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, LegiStorm’s first information product was a database of congressional staff salaries but we have now added other valuable information, such as the most comprehensive database of all privately financed trips taken by members of Congress and congressional staffers.

The information is provided in a strictly factual, non-partisan fashion. We have no political affiliations and no political purpose except to make the workings of Congress as transparent as possible. We expect this resource to be useful to journalists, researchers, lobbyists and current and would-be staffers – as well as regular citizens who simply want to know how their representatives spend public money.

Go forth and dig.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:17 pm April 2nd, 2008 in 'Roots News, Announcements, Blogging, Congress, Government, Media, Politics, Resources, Tech | Comments Off 

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Apr

2

No Ohio idea makes Case Foundation’s Top 20 in civic engagement competition

Filed Under Announcements, Cleveland+, Culture, Education, Ohio, Philanthropy, Social Issues, Voting | 1 Comment

The Case Foundation is sponsoring the Make It Your Own Awards:

This grants program challenges people from all walks of life to discuss what matters most to them, decide what kind of community they want, and take action together. After receiving nearly 5,000 great ideas submitted by applicants from all across the country, we’ve identified 20 finalists. Now we need YOU to help us determine who moves on to the Final Four and gets $25,000 for their cause. So, vote now! And just by participating, you could get $2,500 for YOUR favorite charity.

You can see the 20 in the running here. It looks like there are five from Ohio in that made it out of the 5000 submissions and into the top 100:

Youth United Way, Toledo

Preble Promise, Eaton

Engaging Hate in Dayton

Our River, Our Heart, Columbus

Mosaic Center, Cleveland

Kudos to those five.

More information about the program is here, including the following description:

The Make It Your Own AwardsTM are a direct response to research showing that many people feel disconnected from public leaders and institutions and don’t believe they have the power to make a lasting difference in their community. These findings were the spark for a paper we released last fall, Citizens at the Center: A New Approach to Civic Engagement, which suggests that if people are actually going to get engaged and stay engaged in their communities, one thing has to happen first — they must be given more chances to connect with one another (including those they might disagree with) and figure out how they can work together for the common good.

The competition began last fall and the final four will be announced mid-May. A group of reviewers selected the 20 from which the public now will choose four.

I’ve already signed up for the newsletter so hopefully I can learn about the next round, if there is one.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:47 am April 2nd, 2008 in Announcements, Cleveland+, Culture, Education, Ohio, Philanthropy, Social Issues, Voting | 1 Comment 

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Apr

2

Vote for Pete Chakerian for WTAM Sportsline Amateur Night

Filed Under Announcements, Blogging, Cleveland+, Media, Ohio, Sports | 2 Comments

And not just because he’s the reason I had that PDQ thing in the Plain Dealer a few weeks ago. Or because he has an awesome title for his blog, Joyrides for Shut-ins. Or because he offers up great writing about being a first-time dad. Or because he’s just a plain nice guy.

Here’s why, from an e-mail I received from Pete:

Although I’m long since out of the “bracketology” for the NCAA tournament (thanks to Xavier and Davidson for being this year’s Gonzaga) I’m in the running for another competition:

I rather accidentally ended up as a finalist for the WTAM-AM 1100 “Sportsline” Amateur Night as a caller who got a shot at his own 30 minute segment last night. I had a great deal of fun doing it, but now the real fun begins. There were 5 finalists who each did a 30 minute segment last night… and we’re all competing to be the winner of the competition. The winner gets to host an entire show with Kevin Keane after a Cleveland Indians game at Progressive Field, gets a shot at some other assorted on-air work at WTAM (baseball related) and wins a prize package as well.

All that said. I am appealing for your vote. I’m not ashamed to do so; by casting a vote for me, you’re helping to scratch that sports broadcasting itch.

Please visit http://www.wtam.com/pages/keanepage1.html. There you can download my segment, and click the button to vote for “Pete.”

Again, apologies for the spam/mass mailing nature of this email, but I figured this would be the only way to get to all of you before Friday.

Please visit the Amateur Night page and vote (and vote on multiple computers if you have access to them, because I think the website picks up on IP addresses and will only let you vote once).

Lastly, pass this along to your friends and ask them to vote on my behalf, if you would be so kind.

Thanks in advance for your help, sorry for the mass mailing and have a great weekend!

Peter Chakerian

Good luck, Pete. If you win, maybe I’ll even listen to the station. :)

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:52 am April 2nd, 2008 in Announcements, Blogging, Cleveland+, Media, Ohio, Sports | 2 Comments 

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Apr

2

Carnival of Ohio Politics #111 now posted

Filed Under Announcements, Blogging, Carnivals, Ohio, Politics, Writing | 2 Comments

Lisa Renee of Glass City Jungle did a great job this week’s Carnival of Ohio Politics #111. Even the part about how so many Ohio political bloggers have only one eye, one arm and one ball.

There is at least one newcomer and a few who haven’t contributed for a while so please head over there to catch up with the news and views from around the Ohiosphere.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:40 am April 2nd, 2008 in Announcements, Blogging, Carnivals, Ohio, Politics, Writing | 2 Comments 

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Apr

2

[video] Attn Lou Dobbs: diversity doesn’t equal tolerance, acceptance or embracing

Filed Under Campaigning, Civil Rights, Culture, Elections, Politics, Social Issues, Women | 2 Comments

I picked up on this Lou Dobbs gaffe (Did Lou Dobbs Just Call Condi Rice a Cotton Picker?) from Queen of Spain’s tweet. The Huffington Posts’ entry has more than 500 comments so far.

My comment? Made me cringe and made me think, what a stupid line in general (as much as if not more so than the cotton picker slip) to push: that just because this country may in fact be the most diverse on so many levels that it’s also…what exactly? Because it isn’t by any stretch the most tolerant, accepting or embracing of the diversity it possesses. If it were, we wouldn’t be having these kinds of conversations and debates.

Watch for yourself:

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:15 am April 2nd, 2008 in Campaigning, Civil Rights, Culture, Elections, Politics, Social Issues, Women | 2 Comments 

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